Love Before the Fall
by BloodRaven55
Summary: My first fanfic so please go easy on me. Shepard and Tali spend the night together before Shepard turns himself in to the Alliance. NOTICE: This story is terminated permenently so I can actually write some decent fanfic.
1. Chapter 1: The Night Before

It was two weeks to the day since Shepard, Tali, and the rest of the team had destroyed the Collector base and come away with their lives.

Shepard was busy sterilising his room while Tali got ready in his bathroom, together they had decided that they had to make the most of their last night before the Normandy would arrive at the station where Shepard would be met by Alliance officials.

When Shepard and Tali had both finished getting ready they sat down on the bed together, Tali with her arms around Shepard's chest, and Shepard with an arm round Tali's shoulders, gently stroking her cheek.

They sat there for a while, lost in thought about what might happen tomorrow.

"I know what you're thinking Tali."

"You do?"

"I know you don't want me to leave, but I have to; I belong with the Alliance, not with Cerberus!"

"I understand why you don't trust Cerberus, but…what about me?"

"I'm sorry Tali, but I can't stand working with terrorists, it feels wrong, please understand that"

"I do, I just wish I could follow you to where you belong; why did we have to have such a short amount of time together?"

Shepard gently pressed one finger against Tali's mouth, "Let's make the most of the time we _do_ have...Miss vas Normandy"

"You handsome bosh'tet!"

Within a split second they'd caught each other's eye, and suddenly Tali understood why Shepard had to leave, their lips touched and they relaxed onto the bed, kissing each other passionately.


	2. Chapter 2: The Separation

The sound of rustling woke Shepard up the next morning. Blinking, he opened his eyes and sat up, Tali had put her suit on again and was sitting on the bed, she looked round when Shepard sat up.

"Shepard, I'm begging you, do _not_ do this!"

"I have to Tali, Cerberus do the right things, but they do them in the wrong way."

"I know but…I just wish we'd had more time Shepard."

"I do too Tali but I can't stay with Cerberus, I don't care if the Illusive Man claims to have humanities best interests at heart, he needs to find a way of doing what he wants to do without letting innocents die."

Slowly and awkwardly, Shepard walked towards the shuttle ready to take him to the Alliance court, Tali was standing just outside the shuttle, Shepard hugged her, he wasn't usually at a loss for words, most of the time the right words just came out. Even with the mask it was obvious that Tali understood, there were no words to describe the pain that leaving cause them both, but at the same time Shepard found himself more determined than ever to beat the Reapers, because at last he realised what he had something worth fighting for

_Goodbye, Tali'Zorah vas Normandy, I don't know what I'll do without you_,_ keelah se'lai..._ was the one thought burned in Shepard's mind as he climbed into the shuttle. He looked out the window as the shuttle drifted out of the Normandy's hangar, the Alliance station drifted into view and despite his exterior confidence his mind was racked with doubt about whether he was doing the right thing…


	3. Chapter 3: The Trial

Commander Shepard climbed out of the shuttle into the small room where Admiral Anderson was waiting to take him to his trial would be taking place.

"Welcome back Shepard," said Anderson, shaking his hand, "good to see you're still in one piece."

"It's good to see you too sir" Shepard replied, happy to see a friendly face.

"You know even I won't be able to protect you against the shit you've done" There was a resigned tone in Anderson's voice.

"I understand that completely, I just wish my crew could have been here" Shepard said wistfully, a slightly saddened look entered his eyes.

"Do you wish anyone in particular could be here Shepard?" Anderson asked, noticing the look that came into Shepard's eyes as he said it.

"Well…there is a certain talented Quarian engineer" Shepard said, his eyes brightening at the thought.

"You mean Tali'Zorah?" Anderson asked, an amused tone entering his voice.

"Yes sir" Shepard muttered, clearly embarrassed at the question.

Anderson and Shepard approached the court room, it was large and grey and it looked thoroughly miserable.

"They couldn't have chosen a more inhospitable place could they?" Shepard joked as they entered the room.

The judge wasted no time starting the trial, "Commander Shepard, you are hereby charged with multiple cases of treason, what do you plead?"

Shepard slowly walked into the centre of the room, "I'm completely guilty." Shepard admitted, hanging his head in shame.

"Then you are hereby stripped of your rank and title and placed under indefinite house arrest."


End file.
